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Rethinking the Americas

Spring 2003 Prof. Jana Braziel with the participation of Five College faculty. UMass Registration: Comp Lit 297A/ English 297 / French 297A / PolSci 297A Spring 2003 Lecture: Wed: 11:15 am - 1:05 pm Discussion: Monday: 11:15 am - 12:05 pm A cross-cultural and trans-disciplinary investigation of historical and current interactions among indigenous, colonizing and migratory peoples of the Americas. The course provides an introduction to the study of the Americas as a place of triangular exchange and cultural transfer among native peoples, "Old World" societies, and "New World" nationalities. We shall question the many competing and shifting concepts of America reflected in maps and 'first contact' narratives as well as in ideological formulations of an imagined "American" identity in influential texts and films. Materials will be selected from Latin American, North American, and Caribbean contexts in order to focus comparative case studies, including those of racial discourses and cultural hybridization across the Americas. The goal of the course is to promote critical thinking about notions of "Americanness" and to create an appreciation for the many crossroads that inform identity in the Americas. Units Mapping the Americas Maps Borders and Identities Maps, Nations and Conquests History and Memory Written History versus Oral Tradition Monuments to History - How do we learn about the past? History on Trial: The Consequences of History Imaginings Home Popular Culture Hip Hop: Racial Crossings and Global Commodities Body Marks: Performing Fantasy and Authenticity Student Comments about the Spring 2001 Course: I found having several instructors refreshing. It kept the class upbeat and fresh. Each instructor brought a different set of strengths and weaknesses. I think it's an excellent way to cover a broad range of topics and perspectives. Hearing from numerous professors within a single course exposes the student to a far more vast store of knowledge than one professor could provide. It was occasionally difficult to adjust every two weeks to a new professor -- but this did not create any serious problems for me. I think this was the first class to really broaden my view of America, and the world. It was overall a very positive experience.